Express & Star

Sad farewell to ‘beautiful wife’ Julie Elsmore days after New Cross Hospital wedding

The heartbroken husband of Julie Elsmore, who died just days after her wedding at New Cross Hospital, said a final farewell to his ‘beautiful’ and ‘happy’ wife at her funeral.

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Mourners say a final farewell at Julie’s funeral, and right, Julie and Tim so happy on their wedding day

Julie’s family said the 48-year-old from Cannock would be forever missed for her ‘positivity and beautiful smile’.

More than 100 mourners gathered at St Peter’s Church yesterday, less than a month after Julie tied the knot with her partner of six years Tim Elsmore in a ‘dream come true’ ceremony.

Julie and Tim on their wedding day

She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer three months before. She died on March 24.

With help from his two grown-up children Ria and Reid, Tim carried his wife’s coffin into the church to the song ‘How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding – while Julie’s parents Geoff and Pat Rowley slowly followed.

Tim’s daughter Ria penned a heart-warming tribute, which said: “I asked my Dad if I could write a speech to Julie as I had so many lovely things to say about her. She was the most beautiful person inside and out.”

Ria said she and brother Reid would play in the street and Julie would often walk past to collect leaves for her rabbits, before she and Tim became a couple.

People gather at the funeral of Julie Elsmore at St Peter's

“Every time she passed us she had a beaming smile. We nicknamed her ‘smiler’. Then one day she came over and asked dad if he wanted to go for a drink but dad said he was far too busy,” joked Ria.

“But when they did, they quickly became inseparable. It was like they were teenagers finding love for the first time and they never lost that.”

Julie loved gardening, tending to her pet cats and rabbits, and colouring on canvas but her loved ones said her ‘greatest passion’ was for Tim and her family.

Reverend Paul Kelly said: “She had found love and happiness over six years of her life, which was so tragically cut short.

“Tim spoke of her as a loving and caring person.”

‘There You’ll Be’ by Faith Hill, which contains the lyrics ‘In my heart there will always be a place for you, for all my life’ played as the family left the church.